This Act may be cited as the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute Act.

2 Interpretation

In this Act-

"the Agreement" means the Agreement establishing the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute of which the text of the Articles is set out in the Schedule;

"the Institute" means the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute established under the Agreement.

3 Incorporation of the Institute

The Institute shall be a body corporate to which the provisions of section 28 of the Interpretation Act shall apply.

4 Power of Minister to make orders

The Minister may, by order, make such provisions as he may consider necessary car expedient for giving effect to any provisions of the Agreement.

5 Amendment of Schedule and matters thereon consequential

(1)Where any amendment to the Agreement is accepted by the Government, the Minister may, by order, amend the Schedule by including therein the amendment so accepted.

(2)Any order made under this section may contain such consequential, supplemental or ancillary provisions as appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of giving due effect to the amendment accepted as aforesaid and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may contain provisions amending references in this Act to specific provisions of the Agreement.

(3)Every order made under this section shall be subject to negative resolution of the House of Representatives.

(4)Where the Schedule is amended pursuant to this section, any reference in this Act or any other instrument to the Agreement shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be construed as a reference to the Agreement as so amended.

6 Institute to be exempt from customs duties, etc

The Institute shall be exempt from payment of any import duty, consumption duty, additional stamp duty or retail sales tax for any article imported into Jamaica or taken out of bond in Jamaica by the Institute.

7 Questions as to entitlement to privileges and immunities

If in any proceedings any question arises whether or not the Institute or any other person ought to be afforded the benefit of any privilege, immunity or exemption under the Agreement, a certificate issued by or under the authority of the Minister and stating that the Institute or such other person ought or ought not to be afforded that benefit as aforesaid shall be conclusive of the matters so stated.

SCHEDULE

(Sections 2 and 5)

AGREEMENT ESTABLISHING THE CARIBBEAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE

THE CONTRACTING PARTIES:

SHARING a common determination to promote social stability and a better quality of life for the people of the Region;

RECOGNIZING the merits of a regional organisation for agricultural research and development;

AWARE that the solution to the problems of agriculture on a regional basis will complement the current efforts towards regional economic integration and particularly the efforts towards regional co-operation in agricultural development;

CONSCIOUS of the need for efficient and adequate national extension services;

CONVINCED that the establishment of a regional institution for agricultural research and development will facilitate the achievements of these needs;

HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

ARTICLE 1ESTABLISHMENT

The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (hereinafter referred to as "the Institute") is hereby established having the membership, powers and functions hereinafter specified.

ARTICLE 2MEMBERSHIP

1. Membership of the Institute shall be open to-

(a) States listed in the Annex to this Agreement;

(b) Any other State of the Caribbean Region which becomes Member or Associate Member of the Caribbean Community.

(c) Any country of the Association of Caribbean States approved by the Standing Committee of Ministers responsible for Agriculture.

[LN 111/01.]

2. The States listed in the Annex to this Agreement, the Governments of which sign this Agreement in accordance with Article 18 and ratify it in accordance with Article 19 shall become Members of the Institute.